South Korean Man Arrested for Spreading AI-Generated Fake Image of Escaped Wolf
South Korean police recently arrested a man in his 40s for spreading an AI-generated image online, falsely claiming it showed "Neukgu," a wolf that escaped from a zoo in Daejeon, near a road intersection. Police believe the man hindered search efforts for the escaped wolf by creating and disseminating the false image.
The report stated that the fake image began circulating online shortly after "Neukgu" went missing on April 8th. The image depicted the wolf walking along a road intersection, causing search personnel to urgently adjust their search deployment and operate in the wrong location. The local government subsequently sent emergency text messages to residents warning of a wolf sighting near the intersection, and law enforcement officials also presented the AI-generated image at a press conference.
Police stated that they identified the man by reviewing surveillance footage and examining the suspect's AI program usage records. Currently, police have not clarified whether the man proactively sent the image directly to the search teams or merely disseminated it online. According to local media reports, the man told police during questioning that he did it "just for fun."
Currently, South Korean police are investigating him on suspicion of "obstructing public duties by deception." According to reports, this crime carries a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 10 million Korean won, equivalent to approximately $6,700 or £5,000.
"Neukgu" is two years old and was successfully captured near a highway last week, nine days after its escape. During this period, the wolf chase garnered nationwide attention in South Korea, with President Lee Jae-myung even publicly wishing for the wolf's safe return.
The report stated that "Neukgu" was born in 2024 and is part of the Daejeon O-World Zoo's Korean wolf restoration project. Korean wolves once widely inhabited the Korean Peninsula but are now considered extinct in the wild.
With "Neukgu" safely returned to the zoo, the wolf quickly became a local celebrity. A local bakery launched pastries featuring its image, and the local government is reportedly considering designating it as an official mascot. Additionally, a video of "Neukgu" eating in its enclosure uploaded by the zoo has exceeded 1 million views, but the zoo later stated that it would no longer publish related updates in the future to provide it with a quiet recovery environment.